In Issue 6.7: Is the �21st Century Skills� Movement Practical?, Koonce (2017) makes the statement,
�Important challenges remain for 21st century competencies.�
In 2-3 paragraphs, reflect on the following:
Is the �21st Century Skills� movement practical?
As according to Issue 6.7, what �challenges� remain? Do you agree or disagree? Why?
What additional challenges do you think exist?
According to Issue 6.7, what are the next steps in the 21st century skills movement? Do you agree or
disagree? Why?
THE 21 ST CENTURY SKILLS MOVEMENT 2
Introduction
The origin of the 21 st Century Skills Movement dates back to 2002 and is a culmination
of the advocacy for the infusion of 21 st -century skills into education. The movement seeks to
achieve this feat by having educators recommend rigorous courses that are aimed at imparting
skills and core content knowledge; having community and civic groups outline knowledge and
skills that uphold democracy, and having business leaders identify and help inject knowledge and
skills that are essential to the attainment of workplace success.
From a personal standpoint, the 21 st Century Skills Movements is practical, but only
needing improvement.
This standpoint above does not negate the fact of challenges accosting the 21 st Century
Skills Movement being real.
Again, integrating the policy to new and upcoming ones may not be automatic. As new
educational policies are crafted and ratified alongside regime changes, it is highly possible that
the 21 st Century Skills Movement may be faced out, and thereby rendering the current one just a
fad. It is also true that the Movement also leaves out other teaching content such as critical
thinking, communication, problem solving, collaboration, global awareness and media literacy
(Koonce, 2017).
The next important steps that are to be made to make the 21 st Century Skills Movement
include: ensuring that both rich and poor can access the benefits of the policy; completing the
program to ensure the balance between content knowledge and skills; redefining teacher training;
THE 21 ST CENTURY SKILLS MOVEMENT 3
and assessing accurate measures in which more complex tasks and richer learning can be
effected (Koonce, 2017 & Rotherham & Willingham, 2009).
Conclusion
The measures above are agreeable since there is a great need to reconcile content
knowledge and skills. Critical thinking may apply to both, for instance. The need to redefine the
scope of human capital in education is real and hence warranting the redrawing of teacher
training.
THE 21 ST CENTURY SKILLS MOVEMENT 4
References
Koonce, G. L. (Ed.). (2017). Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Educational Issues – Expanded
(19 th Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Rotherham, A. J. & Willingham, D. (2009). 21 st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead.
Educational Leadership. 67 (1): 16-21.
